Grand Turk & Sultan
Date: 04/16/2023
Partner: Solo
Start: US 550 3.8 Miles South of Silverton
End: US 550 2.9 Miles West of Silverton
Distance: 6.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 4360ft
Duration: 5.5 hours
GPX
Grand Turk 14ers Page
Sultan 14ers Page
This traverse is a great bang for the buck with three moderate ski lines, relatively easy skinning/booting and off the hook views.
Bring a pair of lightweight shoes for the creek crossing... you could also go barefoot.
This tour requires a shuttle or the willingness to hitch hike. Hitching worked great for me!
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6.4m - 4360ft - 5.5 hours
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Grand Turk (L) and Sultan (R) from Kendall Benchmark
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After 40 minutes of moderately steep skinning, I reached the upper basin and skinned the couloir to the saddle
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Looking back to the Weminuche on the climb
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Skinned within 50ft of the top of the couloir then booted to the summit
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A view west towards the La Platas
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I booted up and over this to the summit
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Can't get enough of these Weminuche views
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Sultan from Grand Turk - After skiing Grand Turk I would skin the ridge on the right to the summit
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One last look before dropping
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Grand Turk ski line with Sultan dead ahead
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A straight forward skin up Sultan's east ridge
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Looking back to Grand Turk and my tracks from Sultan's summit
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Northwestern views to the Ice Lake group of Peaks from Sultan's summit. L2R: Fuller, Vermillion, Golden Horn and Pilot Knob
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Wetterhorn(L) and Uncompahgre(R) to the north from Sultan's summit
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Northstar Couloir on Sultan
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Looking back to Sultan and a tracked out Northstar Couloir from Python
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Silverton from Python
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Python... the third and final ski line of the day
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A look back to Python with Sultan peeking out up top
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A nice little creek crossing to get back to the highway - Mineral Creek
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Ok... now it is time to get back to the truck
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Hope I don't have to show any skin... Gas, Grass or Ass... nobody rides for free!






















